The wife who walked up the hill
Every story in Pushkar has a hero. This one has a heroine with every reason to be angry, and the town has never quite decided whether to fear her or love her.
The sacrifice: Brahma had chosen Pushkar for his great fire sacrifice, the yagna, and the rite could only be performed with his wife at his side.
Savitri was late: the priests watched the auspicious moment approach, and Brahma, unwilling to lose it, married a local girl named Gayatri and seated her beside him at the fire.
The curse: when Savitri arrived and found another woman in the bride's place, she cursed her husband to be worshipped nowhere on earth but here.
At a glance
- Built
- Present temple late 17th century, by local accounts
- Open
- From before sunrise; the ropeway keeps its own hours
- Allow
- A morning, with the climb up and down
- Best time
- Before sunrise, October to March
- Photography
- The view freely; ask before the image or worshippers
- Getting there
- A stone stairway behind the town, or the ropeway
- The walk away: then she turned her back on the sacrifice and climbed the highest hill above the lake.
- Tapasya: Pushkar's tellings say she settled on Ratnagiri, the jewel hill, to sit in deep meditation and penance.
- Savitri Jharna: her presence is said to have become a spring on its slopes, remembered by that name.
- Looking down: her temple stands at the summit, facing the lake where her husband performed the rite without her.
- Between two wives: Gayatri's temple sits on a lower hill on the other side of the water. The town, quite literally, lies between the two.
- Saraswati or Savitri: in some versions the first wife is Saraswati, goddess of learning and music, and Savitri is one of her names. Pilgrims rarely worry about the difference.
- What they remember: that she was wronged, that she spoke her mind, and that her blessing is worth a climb. Many women see her as a goddess who understands a wife's life.
- Not the other Savitri: the princess who followed Yama, the god of death, and argued her husband Satyavan back to life is a different heroine.
- Vat Savitri: that Savitri is honoured by married women across north India on the fast of Vat Savitri, when they tie threads around a banyan tree.
- Our grandmother's view: she kept both fasts and both stories, and liked to say that between them they covered everything a marriage could need: patience and backbone.
Ratnagiri, the jewel hill
From the ghats the hill looks close enough to touch. It rises steeply from the western edge of the town, a ridge of brown rock and thorn scrub with a white temple balanced on its crown.
Old hills: Ratnagiri is part of the Aravalli range, the ancient folded hills that run diagonally across Rajasthan and cradle Pushkar's valley.
Bare most of the year: its slopes are scattered with acacia and the leafless thor, a cactus-like euphorbia.
After the monsoon: the hill turns briefly, surprisingly green, and small streams run down its gullies towards the lake.
Facts to know
- Range
- The Aravallis
- Position
- Western edge of town
- Vegetation
- Acacia and thor scrub
- Present temple
- Late 17th century, by local accounts
- The town's landmark: it is the highest point close to the town, so you see the temple from the ghats, the bazaar, your hotel garden and the dunes during the fair.
- By night: its lights hang above the town like a star, and locals give directions by it.
- A modest shrine: a white hilltop temple with a small courtyard and a terrace looking east over the valley.
- Old in tradition: local accounts date the present building to the late seventeenth century, though the shrine is far older in tradition, and it has been extended and repaired many times since.
- The image: Savitri stands at the centre of the sanctum, dressed in red and gold, with other goddesses beside her.
- Why come: less for architecture than for presence, and for the view.
The climb, stage by stage
The path is a long stone stairway with nearly a thousand steps by some counts. It is steady rather than difficult, and the secret is to start early and stop often.
Facts to know
- Steps
- Nearly a thousand, by some counts
- Time up
- Thirty minutes to an hour
- Leave hotel
- About 75 minutes before sunrise
- Bring
- Water, a torch, a warm layer
- Starts
- Near the Brahma temple
Before you start
Leave early: we leave the hotel about an hour and a quarter before sunrise, which in winter means a dark, cold start.
- Wear and carry: walking shoes, a warm layer you can take off, water and a small torch. Your guide or driver carries anything else.
- Eat first: something light. There is nothing to buy on the way up at that hour.
The lower steps
Where it begins: behind the town, a short walk from the Brahma temple. The first stretch is gentle and broad, lined in places with small shrines.
- Your companions: a few pilgrims, often women from nearby villages climbing in pairs and singing softly.
- Your own pace: find your rhythm and do not try to keep up with them. They have done this all their lives.
The middle of the hill
Steeper now: halfway up the steps grow steeper and the town falls away behind you. There are places to sit. Use them, and turn round.
- The view opens: the lake appears as a dark oval among the lights, and the first glow of dawn shows above the eastern ridge.
- Monkeys: they gather on the rocks here later in the day, so keep any food zipped away.
The last stretch
The hardest flights: this is where most people slow down. Breathe, count steps if it helps, and remember the view is waiting.
- The bells: they grow clearer with every turn.
- Jai Savitri Mata: pilgrims often call out victory to Mother Savitri as they reach the top, and you are welcome to say it too.
The summit terrace
- Face east: if you have timed it well, the sun is about to rise over the Aravallis, with the whole valley below you in blue and gold.
- Pour the tea: our guides always bring an extra cup, because someone at the top always looks as though they need one.
Coming down
- Mind your knees: the descent is quicker but harder on them. Take it slowly, especially if the steps are damp with dew.
- The bazaar wakes: by the time you reach the bottom, it is frying its first malpuas, the town's famous syrup-soaked pancakes. That is the next stop.
The ropeway, for those who prefer to ride
Not everyone wants to climb a thousand steps before breakfast. Since 2016, a ropeway has carried pilgrims up the hill in a few minutes.
The route: from the foot of the hill to a station near the summit, with the town spreading out below the cabin windows.
Who it helps: older pilgrims, families with small children and anyone with knee or heart trouble.
Festival queues: on festival days it is popular, and queues can be long.
Facts to know
- Running since
- 2016
- Ride
- A few minutes
- Sunrise
- Usually starts too late
- Pauses
- High wind, maintenance, bad weather
- The catch: ropeways keep working hours, and in our experience they do not start early enough for sunrise, though this can change.
- For the dawn view: walk up and ride down.
- For late-afternoon light: ride both ways.
- Never promised: services can pause in high wind, for maintenance or in bad weather, so we always check on the day.
- Still a few steps: even with the ropeway there may be some steps and uneven ground at the top. Tell us in advance and our guide will walk it with you at your pace.
- Planning: our guide to accessible travel in Rajasthan explains how we plan these days.
Reading the valley from the top
The view from Savitri is not just pretty. It is a map of Pushkar's whole story, and with a guide beside you it reads like a book.
The lake and the spire
- Below you: the lake, small and bright, ringed by the white of its fifty-two ghats.
- The husband: find the red spire of the Brahma temple close to the water, still beside his sacrifice. You are standing with the wife who refused to forgive him.
Gayatri's hill
- To the east: across the lake rises a lower hill with a smaller temple. That is Gayatri, the second wife.
- The triangle: from up here you see the whole legend at once, which is why pilgrims who know the story try to visit all three.
The dunes and the fairground
To the west: beyond the last houses, the land flattens into sand.
- Fair week: this is where the Pushkar Camel Fair spreads out each Kartik, and you can see the tents, the herds and the dust from the hilltop.
- Balloons: on some fair mornings hot-air balloons rise over the dunes at sunrise.
Fields of roses
Green and pink patches: the fields around the edge of town, many of them planted with roses.
- What they make: Pushkar's rose water and gulkand, a preserve of petals and sugar.
- In spring: if the wind is right, you can catch the scent even up here.
Nag Pahar and the road to Ajmer
- The snake mountain: to the south-east the ridge of Nag Pahar separates Pushkar from Ajmer, and the road twists over it.
- Two faiths: on the far side lies the great Sufi shrine. Two of India's great faiths, fifteen kilometres apart, both within sight of this terrace.
Who comes to Savitri, and why
Sit in the courtyard for a while and you will notice that most of the worshippers are women. Many have come a long way, and they climb with a purpose.
What women pray for: their husbands' long lives, a good marriage for a daughter, children, or peace in a difficult home.
What they leave: the symbols of a married woman, red cloth, bangles and vermilion powder, a custom you will find at goddess shrines across Rajasthan.
Wish threads: they tie threads at the shrine for a wish, and return to untie them when the wish is granted.
Facts to know
- Goddess of
- Married life
- Jagran
- Seventh day of Bhado, late summer
- Navratri
- Nine nights in autumn
- Busiest
- Kartik full moon, from before dawn
- The jagran: a night-long vigil of devotional singing on the seventh day of the month of Bhado, in late summer, draws large crowds from the villages.
- Navratri: the nine nights of the goddess in autumn bring a steady stream of pilgrims.
- Kartik full moon: when the whole town is bathing and the fair is at its height, the hill is busy from before dawn.
- Joining in: you are welcome, quietly. Remove your shoes at the door and accept the prasad, blessed sugar or sweets, with your right hand.
- Offerings and photos: give a small offering if you wish. Do not photograph the image or the women at prayer without asking.
- The rest: our page on temple etiquette covers it.
Sunrise, sunset and the seasons
Most guidebooks send you up for sunset. We disagree, gently. Sunset is lovely, but sunrise on Savitri is one of the great hours of Rajasthan.
Sunrise, our choice
- Why: the air is cool, the light is soft, the temple is quiet, and you look towards the rising sun over the eastern hills as the town lights up below.
- Company: you share the summit with pilgrims rather than crowds, and the climb is far easier before the heat.
Sunset, if you must
The light: the sun sets behind you over the dunes, and the town and lake turn golden.
- The trade-off: beautiful but often crowded, and the climb in the afternoon heat is harder.
- How: take the ropeway up, stay for the colours, and come down before full dark with a torch.
The cool months
Best season: October to March.
- Cold dawns: from December to February you will want a shawl at the top.
- Clearest views: often in October and November, after the monsoon.
The monsoon
- July to September: green slopes, dramatic clouds and a full lake below.
- Slippery steps: after rain, wear shoes with a good grip and take it slowly.
The hot months
- April to June: climb only at first light. By mid-morning the rock radiates heat and the climb becomes exhausting.
- Planning: our guide to the best time to visit Pushkar explains how to plan around the seasons.
How to visit, practically and politely
The climb is simple, but a little preparation turns it from an effort into a pleasure.
Company before dawn: go with a guide or a companion. The path is well used, but it is dark at that hour and there are few people about.
Shoes: proper walking shoes for the climb. You remove them at the temple door, so a pair that slips off easily is ideal.
Facts to know
- Footwear
- Walking shoes that slip off
- Dress code
- Shoulders and knees covered
- Watch for
- Monkeys
- Town rules
- Vegetarian, no alcohol
- What to carry: water, a torch, a warm layer in winter and a scarf. Leave anything heavy with your driver.
- Monkeys: they live on the hill and will snatch bags and bottles, so keep food out of sight.
- Dress: shoulders and knees covered. The temple is a working shrine, not a viewpoint.
- Photography: photograph the view freely, but ask before the image or any worshipper. Our photography tips cover sacred places across Rajasthan.
- Health: with heart, knee or breathing problems, take the ropeway or skip the climb. The steps are relentless, with few places to sit near the top.
- Respect: Pushkar is a vegetarian, alcohol-free town, and the hill is part of it. Carry nothing that would cause offence.
Photographing the hill and the view
Savitri hill gives you the one photograph of Pushkar that everyone wants: the lake, the ghats and the temple spires in a single frame. A little planning makes it far better.
The first minutes: at sunrise the light comes from in front of you as you look east, so it is about silhouettes and colour in the sky.
A quarter of an hour later: the light swings onto the ghats and the white houses, and the town comes into focus.
Go longer: a short telephoto is more useful than a wide lens. The lake is smaller in the frame than you expect, and a single ghat or the Brahma spire makes a stronger picture.
Facts to know
- Lens
- A short telephoto
- Sunrise
- Silhouettes, then the ghats
- Afternoon
- Sun behind you, warm gold
- Clearest air
- October and November
- Drones
- Leave them at home
- Late afternoon: the sun is behind you, lighting the town directly in warm gold.
- Haze: it softens distant hills, especially in the hot months and during fair week when the dunes send up dust.
- Clearest air: usually October and November, after the monsoon has washed the sky.
- No drones: flying them over a pilgrim town is unwelcome, and rules on drones in India are strict.
- Inside the temple: keep the camera down unless the priest invites you.
- More: our photography tips for Rajasthan and the photography journey cover shooting sacred places with care.
What most visitors miss
Most people climb, take a photograph, and hurry down. A few small additions make the morning far richer.
The Gayatri temple
Almost nobody goes: few visitors walk up Gayatri's lower hill on the eastern side of the lake.
- Why go: the climb is shorter, the temple simpler, and the view back across the water to Ratnagiri completes the story.
- Both wives: pilgrims say you should honour both. We agree, if only for the view.
Tea with the priests
- A quiet morning: the temple's caretakers may sit and talk, with our guide translating.
- A different legend: you may hear a version you will not find in any book. A small offering at the shrine is a courteous thank-you.
The breakfast that follows
- Part of the ritual: coming down in time for hot malpua and kachori in the bazaar.
- Where: our food of Pushkar guide explains what to order and where we stop.
Watching the light on the ghats
- Stay ten minutes: as the sun climbs it lights the ghats one by one, white steps appearing out of shadow around the lake.
- The best of the morning: most people have already turned to go.
What to pair with Savitri
The hill sits at the edge of the old town, so the rest of sacred Pushkar is a short walk away when you come down.
The Brahma temple
- At the foot of the hill: visit straight after the climb, while the story is fresh.
- What you see: the four-faced creator with Gayatri beside him.
The ghats of Pushkar Lake
- When: for the end of the morning rituals, or back at dusk for the aarti.
- The view back: you will look up at Savitri's hill from every ghat.
A morning in the dunes
- West of the hill: the dunes begin. A gentle camel cart or jeep ride at sunset, with tea on the sand, balances a morning of temples.
- Animal welfare: we choose operators who treat their animals well, as our page on ethical animal encounters explains.
A longer pilgrimage
- The route: Savitri, Brahma and the dargah at Ajmer sit naturally within our sacred Rajasthan journey, which continues to Nathdwara and Ranakpur.
Where to stay for a dawn climb
For a sunrise climb, every minute of sleep counts. Choose a stay that makes the early start easy.
Resorts: among them the Westin Pushkar Resort and Spa and Ananta Spa and Resort, a short drive from the foot of the hill in the empty pre-dawn streets.
Coming back: to a quiet garden, a pool and a proper breakfast, which after a thousand steps feels well earned.
Facts to know
- Easiest start
- Resorts on the edge of town
- Nearest the path
- Heritage hotels on the lake
- Fair week
- Tented camps near the fairground
- On the lake: a few heritage hotels put you within walking distance of the path, at the cost of simpler rooms and a busier setting.
- Fair camps: during the camel fair, the tented camps near the fairground make a dawn climb wonderfully atmospheric, with the camels stirring below as you set out.
- Choosing: our guides to luxury stays in Pushkar and luxury hotels in Pushkar explain which suits you.
- Fitting it in: our two-day Pushkar itinerary shows where the climb fits.
Who will love the climb, and who should ride
We have taken grandparents, honeymooners and restless teenagers up this hill. Almost all of them came down glad they went, but not all of them should walk.
Early risers: you will love the climb if you enjoy an early start, a bit of effort and a reward at the end.
Couples: they find it romantic in the cold dark, with the town lights below and the tea at the top.
Teenagers: they like the challenge and the monkeys.
Who it suits
- Walk if
- You enjoy an early start and some effort
- Ride if
- Heart, breathing or knee trouble
- Small children
- Ride; no railings in places
- Hot months
- First light only, or not at all
- Photographers: they come for the light.
- The curious: anyone wondering how Hindu devotion actually feels will find the hilltop shrine, full of village women singing, more moving than many grander temples.
- Who should ride: anyone with heart or breathing problems, painful knees or a fear of heights on open steps. There is no shame in it, and pilgrims of every age ride up.
- Small children: families should ride too, because the steps have no railings in places.
- In the heat: climb only at first light, or not at all.
- If days are few: choose sunrise here over a second visit to the bazaar. It is the morning our guests remember longest.
